* Some of the establishments below are not halal.
The ais kacang, alias ABC (short for air batu campur), is regarded as the de facto national dessert among Malaysians. It’s our answer to cooling our bodies off amid humid tropical heat.
The best ais kacang should have a mound of thin, delicate flakes of shaved ice as well as a rainbow of treasures — strips of pandan-flavored chendol, plush kidney or azuki beans, luscious creamed corn, cubes of wobbly agar-agar, and more — buried underneath or scattered all over. Then, a pivotal final touch of syrup, preferably of deep and rich gula melaka, as well as coconut or evaporated milk draws everything together. The moment it hits your mouth, the ice just melts away and flavors start to shine. Now, that’s a mouthful of bliss!
Thanks to Malaysia’s year-round tropical climate, every day is made just for the ais kacang. Without further ado, here are our pick of the top four ais kacangs in KL & PJ. (Click on the restaurant names for addresses and OpenRice members' reviews.)
1. Ah Keong’s Ais Kacang @ Brickfields
This husband-and-wife team has been dishing up bowls of their famous sweet and cold ais kacang for years in KL. The mound of shaved ice dissolves in the mouth. Hidden within are a rainbow of goodies that includes cubes of black cincau, plump kidney beans, golden creamed corn, and jade-green strips of chendol. On the other hand, atop are slender strips of tender coconut flesh, all cut by hand. Lastly, it’s baptized in “rose” and gula melaka syrups as well as the freshest, thickest coconut milk. This truly stands as a meal on its own, no wonder it has a cultlike following!
Image courtesy of masak-masak.
2. Fei Zai Long Ais Kacang @ Jalan Kepong Baru
Don’t let the ragged appearance of this stall fool you. Here, one of the best ais kacang is served. It consists of delicate shaved ice, and shuns the artificial color and flavor of the “rose” syrup but espouses the rich, deep, caramel-ly note of pure gula melaka. Of course, there are the must-have grass jelly, chendol, beans, and corn. Some longan is also thrown in for good measure.
Image courtesy of my Tummy n' I.
3. Ais Kacang @ 37 Food Court, Kepong Baru
You can find one of the best ais kacang behind this counter. This ever-smiling lady who seems to be able to inject a touch of happiness into every bowl of her shaved-ice treat. She makes sure ice is shaved finely so that it melts on the tongue instantly. She also makes her own gula melaka syrup, which is molasses-thick and intensely coconut-ty, to drizzle over her ice mounds. Mix-ins like chendol, kidney beans, creamed corn, peanuts, attap chee, and “sea coconut” complete the experience.
Image courtesy of Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels.
4. Weng Kee Ais Kacang @ Medan Selera P.J. Old Town
The mound of ice here is compact, yet delicate and smooth at the same time. It’s showered in fresh, thick coconut milk and piled with gula melaka on top; they join forces to tantalize your taste buds with an irresistibly rich, sweet aroma and butterscotch note. To complement are roasted peanuts, cincau, ruby-colored jelly, azuki beans, creamed corn, and attap chee. You can also, of course, talk to the ais kacang master for a customized ice treat!
Image courtesy of Food Quest.
Hunt for the hottest ais kacang restaurant
Discover more top restaurant in Klang
Other Related Topics
